Academic Essentials for Research Students in Maths, Physical and Life Sciences Division

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Academic Essentials for Research Students in
Maths, Physical and Life Sciences Division
Medical Sciences Division

• Dr Sarah Norman
• Gray Institute

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Welcome

• Introductory session for graduate research
  students of the Maths, Physical and Life Sciences
  Medical Sciences Divisions of the University
• University structure and nomenclature
• The administrative framework of a graduate degree
  
• Some of the potential opportunities
• Some of the potential problems of a graduate
  course in Oxford
• Sources of advice and support available for
  graduate students

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Where are you studying?
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When are you studying?

• Michaelmas Term October December
• Hilary Term January April
• Trinity Term May September
• Weeks Freshers week (0th week), Term weeks 1
  8 (possible 9/10)

1st year
2nd year
3rd year
4th year
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What do you need to do now and later?

• Becoming a registered student with the
  University
• Complete a self-service online registration form
• Attend a matriculation ceremony
• How long are you on the register as a graduate
  student
• Initially on the register as a PRS (Probationary
  Research Student)
• Transfer to DPhil status (in 4th 6th term) 12
  terms total
• Transfers to MSc (by Research - MRes) status (in
  3rd to 6th term) 6 terms total
• 4 year programmes in the Doctoral Training Centre
  
• Seven terms as PRS before transfer, 12 terms
  total
• The University residence requirement minimum
  amount of time to complete a DPhil/MRes and fee
  liability
• DPhil is minimum six terms (for MRes three)

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We like formsGSO formsttp//www.ox.ac.uk/stude
nts/course_guidance_supervision/graduates/forms/
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Whos who in the Department/College?

• Department
• Supervisor / University Lecturer / Principal
  Investigator / Group Leader
• Co-supervisor?
• Director of Graduate Studies (DGS)
• College
• Advisor more pastoral care
• Tutor for Graduates
• Division
• Graduate Studies Assistants
• Graduate Joint Consultative Committee (GJCC)
• Administrative changes to your
• course / supervisor / thesis title / status
  (transfer/suspension/confirmation) / appointment
  of examiners

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What to do when you are here?

• Study?
• Gain professional and transferrable skills
• Things to avoid......

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Undergraduate vs Graduate Study

• Undergraduate study is often externally driven
  highly structured
• 9 5 timetable
• Different courses
• Examinations and assignments
• Graduate study is self driven and often
  unstructured
• Work the hours required
• No defined start and end points to experiments
• No set short-term deadlines
• Easy to feel overwhelmed by the task ahead

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Interaction with your supervisor

• Establish the main framework for your work as
  soon as possible during the first term
• Have meetings to discuss progress
• Review work plans and establish how much time
  help you should expect from your supervisor
• Establish who else will be involved in your
  supervision (post-doc, co-supervisor, external
  supervisor) and what their role is
• Supervisors should
• plan your research and set your milestones
• discuss your training needs
• report on your progress via GSS

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Graduate students role

• training in scientific methods
• undertake novel research
• create a thesis containing an original
  contribution to the literature
• take part in the life of the department
• present your research
• publish

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What to expect day-to-day

• working full-time
• take holidays, the MSD policy is up to 38 days of
  holiday leave per annum
• sufficient free time to benefit from the wider
  University and College resources
• ten days per annum for transferable skills
  training

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Graduate Skills Training

• As a research student, you may well be pursuing
  your studies as an essential step towards
  realising your career goals
• the student must accept his or her obligation to
  act as a responsible member of the Universitys
  academic community
• he or she should make appropriate use of the
  teaching and learning facilities available within
  the University
• The Research Councils issued a Joint Statement on
  what skills a graduate research student should
  acquire

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University Divisional Skills Training Programme

• Free to all Graduate Research Students and
  Postgraduate and Postdoctoral Research Assistants
• more effective in your work
• to develop and move towards your future
  aspirations
• There are two sources of training available to
  you
• Divisional Courses (face-to-face)
• University of Oxford (online)
• Professional development, training and skills
• Communication/Presentation Skills
• Writing Skills
• Plagiarism
• Ethics

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University Online Courses

• Each online course takes between 60 and 90 mins
  to complete
• Publishing in Arts
• Publishing in Sciences
• Project Management in the Research Context
• Good Practice in Citation and the Avoidance of
  Plagiarism
• Intellectual Property in the Research Context
• Ethics 1 - Good Research Practice
• Ethics 2 - Working with Human Subjects
• Career Planning in the Sciences
• Career Planning in the Arts, Humanities and
  Social Sciences
• Managing Your Research Supervisor / Principal
  Investigator
• Selecting a Conference, Presenting Networking
• Entrepreneurship 1 Are you an Entrepreneur?
• Entrepreneurship 2 Opportunity Recognition,
  Creation and Evaluation
• Entrepreneurship 3 Resources (People, Teams,
  Finance)

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• Searchable database of skills training
  opportunities
• Articles on subjects such as project management,
  teaching and career planning
• News of national events and competitions
• Careers Case Studies see what other researchers
  have gone on to do

www.skillsportal.ox.ac.uk
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• Online personal development planning tool
• Specific version for researchers
• Tools for skills analysis, planning and recording
  progress
• Reports help compile your CV
• Links to development resources
• www.aspire.ox.ac.uk

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Things to avoid........

• Plagiarism
• Understand what this means to your study
• Take the online course
• http//www.admin.ox.ac.uk/rso/integrity/
• Procrastination
• Facebook
• Leaving things to the last minute
• Stress, panic and late nights in the lab
• Isolation
• Please talk to your lab mates and others
• Defeat
• Research is a long slog, it can be repetitive and
  unrewarding for long periods
• The successes make up for all of the pain

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Many Sources of Support

• Funding issues
• College Hardship Funding
• http//www.ox.ac.uk/feesandfunding/graduates/sourc
  es/
• Scientific problems
• Supervisors, DGS, departmental graduate studies
  committee
• University Occupational Health Service
• Personal issues
• Childcare Services, Counselling Service,
  Disability Advisory Service, Equality and
  Diversity, Harassment, Health and Welfare, OUSU
  Student Advice Service, Nightline 
• http//www.ox.ac.uk/students/new/welfaresupport/
• Careers guidance
• http//www.careers.ox.ac.uk/

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Enjoy your time in Oxford Make the most of the
opportunities it can provide
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http//www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/skillstraining

• Recommended Courses
• for 1st years
• for 2nd years
• for 3rd years
• for Graduate and Postdoctoral research assistants
• Courses for First Year
• Courses relevant to first year DPhil students
• Communication/Presentation Skills
• Writing Skills
• Ethics

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Transferrable skills

• University regulations state
• the student must accept his or her obligation to
  act as a responsible member of the Universitys
  academic community
• he or she should make appropriate use of the
  teaching and learning facilities available within
  the University
• take up the teaching opportunities available
• http//www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/portal/skillstraining/w
  anttoteach2/
• take up the skills training opportunities
  available
• http//www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/portal/skillstraining
• practise your English (if your spoken or written
  English is poor)
• http//www.lang.ox.ac.uk